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dunce Definition

dunce (duns)

noun

  1. a dull, ignorant person
  2. a person slow at learning

Etymology: after John Duns Scotus: his followers, called Dunsmen, Dunses, Dunces, were regarded as foes of Renaissance humanism

dunce Synonyms

dunce

n.

dolt, dullard, moron; see fool 1.

dunce Usage Examples

Possessives

  • hat: Those who failed to meet sales targets were made to stand in the corner wearing a dunce's hat.
  • cap: Anyone who has not yet grasped this fact deserves to wear the dunce's cap.

Converse of object

  • wear: Those who failed to meet sales targets were made to stand in the corner wearing a dunce 's hat.
  • mean: This booby is neither of those tho - the word has also been used to mean dunce since at least the 17th century.
  • do: The inspiration for this monumental event was not a... how did the word Dunce came about?

Adjective modifier

scientific: Raven was doubtless an intellectual and was immensely learned, but he was a scientific dunce despite his nature study and biology lessons.

Modifies a noun

  • hat: Any good, or should I go hang my head in shame in the corner with a dunces hat on?
  • cap: Anyone who has not yet grasped this fact deserves to wear the dunces cap.

Noun used with modifier

  • class: It has been a period of spiritual education once more for the class dunce.
  • language: British school children, already the language dunces of Europe, will soon no longer be obliged to learn any foreign languages.